Linda Avery retires as Planning Commission secretary

After 22 years as secretary of the Planning Commission, Linda Avery won’t have to remind people to turn off their cell phones any longer.

Avery, who first started work with the city in 1977, oversaw her last commission meeting Thursday, in advance of her Oct. 31 retirement.

As commission secretary and one of its two employees, Avery served as the link between the part-time commissioners and both the Planning Department and the developers, builders, attorney, neighbors and everyone else dealing with the growth of the city.

Adding in her time as secretary for former city Planning Director Dean Macris, Avery has spent 31 years dealing with development.

“It’s been 31 years of service to the city,” said John Rahaim, the current planning director. “She’s been an incredible guide to me in the five years I’ve been here.”

She was know for her ability both to control the occasionally raucous meeting and deal calmly and politely with even the angriest speakers.

“What she taught me and everyone else that it was possible to have a civil civic discussion,” said Commissioner Kathrin Moore.

Avery, who also is secretary to the Historic Preservation Commission, started with the city as a temporary worker with a clean neighborhoods programs, “making sure we got more garbages cans out throughout the city,” said said. She then worked with the Department of Health Services before moving to the Planning Department in 1981.

“I’ve had a great run,” said Avery, who lives in San Leandro. “It’s been such a pleasure to serve not only the commission but the city and the people of San Francisco. I couldn’t imagine a career as good as the one I’ve had.”

Avery plans to spend time with her family in Arkansas and then return to the Bay Area to “take some classes and do the things I’ve wanted to do.”

And no, that doesn’t include tuning in to the Thursday afternoon commission meetings, she admitted.

The commission has been seeking a replacement for Avery since she announced her upcoming retirement last March, but they are still well away from selecting a new secretary.